By Katie Petrunyak
Among Ashford Stud's new stallions for 2023, two members of the Coolmore quintet boast standout sire-making families. GI Preakness S. hero Early Voting (Gun Runner – Amour d'Ete, by Tiznow) is out of a half-sister to perennial top sire Speightstown while Jack Christopher (Munnings – Rushin No Blushin, by Half Ours), a 'TDN Rising Star' who raced to three Grade I victories, is out of a half-sister to Darley's Street Boss.
Jack Christopher is also the first son of Munnings to join his sire at Ashford Stud. After carrying the Coolmore silks to a trio of graded stakes wins, Munnings stood his first five seasons at Ashford for under $15,000, but steadily produced one elite runner after another. A top 10 North American sire in 2022, Munnings will stand for his highest fee yet this year at $100,000 while his highest-earning son Jack Christopher is advertised at an introductory fee of $45,000.
“It's always very fulfilling when you have a stallion and are able to stand one of his sons,” said Ashford Stud's Adrian Wallace. “I think that is particularly true of a horse like Munnings, who was really a rags-to-riches story. He was a very fast horse over six and seven furlongs and I think you see that with a lot of the Munnings stock including Jack Christopher.”
Earning the 'Rising Star' nod with a 8 3/4-length debut score at Saratoga, Jack Christopher followed that effort with an easy win in the GI Champagne S. Owned in the partnership of Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud and Peter Brant, the Chad Brown trainee scratched from the GI Breeder' Cup Juvenile due to a shin problem, but returned to the track at three to remain undefeated in the GII Pat Day Mile S. and GI Woody Stephens S. He ran third in his lone defeat while stretching out in the GI Haskell S., but got back to his winning ways at seven furlongs in the GI H. Allen Jerkens in his final career start.
“The thing about Jack Christopher is that he's all about speed,” Wallace explained. “He was quick out of the gate. He could get to the front and dominate his races. He was also very tactical in the way he raced. Chad Brown is quoted as saying he's one of the fastest horses he has ever trained.”
“He is very like his sire Munnings,” he continued. “He's a balanced horse and a good mover. He's probably a better-looking horse than his sire, so if he can become as good a sire as Munnings, we'll be very happy.”
Jack Christopher's grandsire Speighstown jumps out on the pedigree of another new Ashford resident, Early Voting. The Classic winner was bred by Three Chimneys Farm and his dam Amour d'Ete is not only a sibling to Speightstown, but also to MGSW Irap (Tiznow).
Early Voting stands out among this year's class of incoming stallions as one of the first two sons of remarkably fast-starting sire Gun Runner to go to stud. Along with Early Voting, Gun Runner's six Grade I winners include Cyberknife, who will stand at Spendthrift Farm after making his career finale in the GI Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 28.
“With Early Voting being one of the first sons of Gun Runner to stand at stud, it's a huge privilege to be able to get his career off to a good start,” said Wallace. “Gun Runner is widely perceived as one of the best young stallions in America and now we're excited to stand one of his best sons. I think Early Voting has the size and balance of Gun Runner, but in many ways he looks like his damsire Tiznow. He's got the big hip and shoulder.”
On the racetrack, the Klaravich Stables-campaigned colt made a good impression in his winning debut late in his juvenile season and then returned to the winner's circle in the GIII Withers S. He ran second to future GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Wood Memorial S. before scoring his signature victory in the GI Preakness S., where he earned a 105 Beyer as he defeated his eventual studmate Epicenter (Not This Time), a leading consideration for top 3-year-old of 2022.
“Early Voting had speed and he was able to carry that speed,” Wallace noted. “He also had great heart and there was no better reflection of that than his race in the Preakness. He ran a superb race that day. His speed took him to the front and he kept going. His form was very strong throughout the year and a horse like him has been very popular with breeders so far.”
Early Voting will stand for $25,000 and was awarded the silver medal on Chris McGrath's Value Podium for new sires in 2023.
Find our feature on Ashford Stud's other new residents, and more on this year's class of incoming stallions, here.
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